A moviegoer enters a theatre with expectations whether it is seeing the star(s) or they have heard of the story line and, in some cases, who directed it. I walked in expecting a good performance by Michael Keaton and some of the more familiar names in the cast like Laura Dern and Patrick Wilson and not expecting much else. To my surprise, and delight, “The Founder” was a much better film than I had anticipated.

Based on a true story “The Founder” is about Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) who got control, many say stole, McDonald’s from two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald, (John Carroll and Nick Offerman). They started the change of American restaurants by introducing ‘fast food’ using fresh items in San Bernadino, California. The brothers had things down to a science, even in some cases inventing equipment, treated their employees like family and took pride in all aspects of the business.

While the story focuses on the interaction between the two brothers and Kroc it is mainly about the latter. Did the brothers have a family life? You won’t find out. We do meet Kroc’s wife who spent most of her life supporting his schemes that never worked out and his secretary June (Kate Kneeland) who seemed to live in the office 24/7, along with some bankers, lawyers and investors.

There is no doubting that Michael Keaton has a load of charm and gives an excellent performance but even he can’t dispel the fact that Kroc didn’t care for people caring only for ‘the art of the deal’. Yes, there are many resemblances between the two men even though this movie was made long before Trump even started running for business. Are all very successful, money making men, as ruthless to threaten business partners that they will sue them until they will lose financially or be buried in paperwork so high that they won’t be able to take care of their business? Do these men not care about people and their families? As good as Keaton is he doesn’t make you overcome the fact that Kroc was not a nice guy, a 'good guy'.

All the actors mentioned plus Linda Cardellini as Patrick Wilson’s wife, B.J. Novak as a financial adviser and assorted McDonald’s employees all do what they can as the screenwriter, Robert Siegel, doesn’t give them much time on screen. The brothers, as played by Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch, are as interesting as Keaton and more affable than the latter ever seemed to be. Is there room in the world today for people like the McDonald brothers?

Using the new idiom of the day Kroc was known for ‘alternate facts’ regarding his life and as good as Keaton is he doesn’t make you overcome the fact that Kroc was not a nice guy, a good guy.

“The Founder” is more than you expect it to be, not only from the actors, but little things like except for popular song sung in a restaurant I had to look up if there was even music in the movie! Director John Lee Hancock gives us a sunny USA pictorially even in the very down sequences where Kroc is being very much the ‘businessman’ and not like he is dealing with human beings.

While it is a good movie and I would recommend it “The Founder” is not a must see movie.

Movie Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX2uz2XYkbo&t=15s